Method of polishing surfaces

ABSTRACT

AN IMPROVED METHOD FOR POLISHING A SURFACE IN THE COURSE OF AN AQUEOUS WASHING OPERATION IS SET FORTH. THE METHOD COMPRISES DISPERSING IN AT LEAST ONE OF WASH AND RINSE WATER A FATTY IMIDAZOLINE SALT OF A STRONG MONOPROTIC ACID TO FORM A DISPERSION AND MERELY CONTACTING THE SURFACE WITH THE DISPERSION TO PRODUCE A LUSTROUS, WATER REPELLENT POLISH THEREON.

United States Patent 3,585,051 METHOD OF POLISHING SURFACES KeithLiddell Johnson, Matteson, Ill., assignor to Swift & Company, Chicago,Ill. No Drawing. Filed Dec. 8, 1966, Ser. No. 600,051 Int. Cl. C08h;(109d; C09g US. Cl. 106-3 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Animproved method for polishing a surface in the course of an aqueouswashing operation is set forth. The method comprises dispersing in atleast one of wash and rinse water a fatty imidazoline salt of a strongmonoprotic acid to form a dispersion and merely contacting the surfacewith the dispersion to produce a lustrous, water repellent polishthereon.

The present invention relates to new and improved preparations forpolishing surfaces and a method therefor. More particularly, it relatesto a method for imparting a water repellent polish to a surface bycontacting said surface with a solution of a self-polishing fattyimidazoline salt.

The use of wash-wax and wax-rinse self-waxing formulations in automobilewashing establishments such as the familiar car washing establishmentsand the newer coin operated self service variety has grown rapidly inrecent times. These formulations containing certain cationic surfactantsprovide an improved appearance on automobile surfaces. They also reducelabor requirements because the beading effect of the cationic surfactantcomponent of the formulations enables the pressure blower system at theexit of the automatic car wash to blow a greater portion of residualrinse water from an automobile.

Prior self-waxing formulations have been blends of various surfactants,kerosene, silicone oils, waxes and other similar materials which achievethe desired effect. Illustrative of such formulations are thosedisclosed in US. Pat. 3,222,213. While performing adequately theseformulations have certain inherent disadvantages which have beenunsolved heretofore and have caused considerable expense to car washingestablishment operators. One disadvantage encountered when theseformulations are utilized is that they deposit a greasy or waxy film onthe glass surfaces of an automobile that must be wiped from these areas.For example, if this film is not wiped off the windshield of a car,there will be considerable smearing upon subsequent operation of thewindshield wipers. Another disadvantage encountered with some of theseformulations is the necessity of having to buff the treated surface inorder to bring out the desired luster. Additionally, the amount offormulation to be used per car to achieve the desired results isappreciable, being in the range of from about 2 to about 10 ounces percar. Thus, as a result of this high use level, the operating costs aresignificantly increased.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to providean improved method for polishing surfaces, particularly automobilesurfaces, utilizing a selfpolishing composition which does not deposit agreasy or waxy film on the surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method forpolishing surfaces, particularly automobile surfaces, in a moreeconomical manner than has been possible heretofore.

A further object is to provide an improved method for applying alustrous shine to a surface without necessitating bufling the surface.

Other objects will be apparent to one skilled in the art from thefollowing detailed description of the invention.

3,585,051 Patented June 15, 1971 Generally, the present inventioncomprises contacting a surface, particularly an automobile surface, witha solution of a strong monoprotic acid salt of a fatty imidazoline.These fatty imidazoline salts may be represented by the followingstructural formula:

N-CHg Bi /X- wherein R is an alkenyl group containing from 11 to 23carbon atoms, R is a lower alkyl group and X is an anion of a strongmonoprotic acid. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, R is anunsaturated hydrocarbon containing from 11 to 23 carbon atoms and anaverege of from about 0.5 to about 2.0 groups of unsaturation per chain.

The preparation of these fatty imidazoline salts is described in theliterature and is readily carried out by reacting a mono substitutedethylene diamine and a fatty unsaturated acylating material containingfrom 12 to 24 carbon atoms in the acyl group and preferably containingan average of from about 0.5 to about 2.0 groups of unsaturation perchain. The resulting reaction product is then put in contact with astrong monoprotic acid to form a salt.

Examples of suitable fatty unsaturated acylating compositions which canbe employed as reactants include vegetable oils or the fatty acidsderived therefrom such as soybean oil, cotton-seed oil, sesame oil,safflower oil, tall oil, olive oil, and the like; marine oils such asmenhaden oil, cod liver oil, whale oil and the like; and any animal basesources of unsaturated fat. These materials can be reacted either as thetriglyceride with or without subsequent removal of glycerin, or as theiralkyl esters or as their fatty acids.

Suitable substituted ethylene diamine reactants include amino ethylethanolamine, diethylene triamine, monomethyl ethylene diamine,monoethyl ethylene diamine and, generally, N-alkyl ethylene diamineswherein the alkyl group contains up to about 10 carbon atoms and iseither unsubstituted or substituted with non-reactive substituents suchas methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, hydroxyl benzyl groups and the like.

It has been discovered that for the fatty imidazoline reaction productsto perform adequately in the method of the present invention, it isnecessary to form a salt of the fatty imidazolines with a strongmonoprotic acid. Suitable monoprotic acids which may be employed includesuch acids as hydrochloric, hydrobromic, sulfamic, nitric and likeacids. Salts of Weak acids such as acetic, formic, citric, lactic andthe like and salts of polyprotic acids such as sulfuric, phosphoric,tartaric and the like are not suitable.

The fatty imidazoline salts of strong monoprotic acids are generallygels or even crystalline solids, However, for these compositions to beuseful in the method of the present invention, they must be in solution.Therefore it is necessary to dissolve the imidazoline salts in asuitable solvent. It has been found that it is desirable to employ aglycol ether type solvent for this purpose, although other solventscommonly referred to as coupling agents or hydrotopes such as ethylalcohol, n-propyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol and the like may also beused. Exemplary of suitable glycol ether type solvents are ethyleneglycol monobutyl ether, diethylene glycol monobutyl ether, butoxy ethoxypropanol, dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether and the like.

The fatty imidazoline salt solutions may be used in the method of thepresent invention to impart a lustrous, water repellent polish to asurface. These compositions may be administered to the surface either asa formulated component of the washing detergent or as a post-washing,pre-rinse additive. The use of these compositions has the advantage ofextremely low use concentrations. A further advantage of thesecompositions is that they achieve the desired polishing results withoutrequiring any admixture with waxy materials. As a result, they do notdeposit a waxy or greasy film on the surface and, therefore, do notnecessitate an additional wiping step after processing.

When intended for use as a rinse additive, the fatty imidazoline saltcompositions are prepared in aqueous solution. The amount of saidsolution to be used to polish a given surface will depend on suchfactors as the size of the surface to be polished, the concentration ofthe solution being used and like factors. When the compositions are usedin the rinse water to polish an automobile surface, it has been foundthat best results are achieved by dispersing an amount of fattyimidazoline salt in the range of from about ,4 ounce to about ounce in asufl'icient quantity of rinse water to rinse an automobile. The quantityof water utilized to rinse an automobile is generally in the range offrom about to about gallons of Water. In a preferred embodiment of theinvention, about /8 ounce of fatty imidazoline salt is introduced intofrom about 5 to about 10 gallons of rinse water.

A procedure for preparing an aqueous solution of a fatty imidazolinesalt for use in an aqueous automobile washing operation as a componentof the rinse water is as follows. The producer may prepare an aqueoussolution of a fatty imidazoline salt at a concentration of from about 5to about 30% based on the weight of the water by dissolving it in asuitable solvent such as the above mentioned glycol ether type solvents.This stock solution is then shipped to the user. The stock solution isdiluted by the user to give a feed solution. This feed solution shouldbe dilute enough to make it practical to meter the solution into therinse water in a manner such that from about ounce to about A ounce offatty imidazoline salt is dispersed in the rinse water utilized to rinseeach car, generally from about 5 to about 10 gallons of water (fromabout .00625 ounce to about .05 ounce fatty imidazoline salt per gallonof water).

The fatty imidazoline salt compositions when intended for use as acomponent of the washing detergent will provide a highly lustrous finishto the clean surface. The compositions lend themselves to formulationwith foam boosters such as the alkylolamine derivatives of coconut oiland sequestering agents such as tetra-sodium ethylene diamine tetraacetate in a detergent formulation. The amount of composition to be usedis variable within a broad range, but the dispersion of an amount offatty imidazoline salt from about 0.5 to about 3.0 ounces per gallon ofwash water has been found to provide especially good results.

The following examples are set forth for the purpose of illustrationonly and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention inany respect.

EXAMPLE I A stock solution was prepared containing gallon of a solutionof the hydrochloride salt of 1-(2-hydroxy ethyl)-2-heptadecenylimidazoline dispersed in 4% gallons of water concentration).Subsequently, the stock solution was diluted at a rate of 5 gallons ofstock solution per 50 gallons of water (l /2% concentration) in order toprepare a feed solution. This feed solution was then utilized in therinse section of an automatic car washing establishment. Approximately,8 ounces of the feed solution were metered into the rinse water (from 5to 10 gallons of water) utilized to rinse each car processed. It wasfound that the automobile surfaces so treated exhibited lustrous, waterrepellent shines as well as improved water beading characteristics.

4 EXAMPLE II Tall oil fatty acids (280 parts) were reacted with N-methylethylenediamine (74 parts) for 2 hours under 2 atmospherespressure at C. The vessel was 'then vented and contents were heated to200 C. and the water evolved was distilled out of the reaction mass. The'temperature was held at 200 C. for an additional 2 hours and 30minutes. The resulting product was cooled to room temperature anddispersed in water at a concentration of 5% and neutralized with adilute solution of sulfamic acid to a pH of 6. The resulting solutionwas found to impart a lustrous, water repellent finish to an automotiveacrylic lacquer finish when 5 ounces of the solution which had beendispersed in 5 gallons of rinse water was sprayed on a clean automobilesurface.

EXAMPLE III Soybean oil (285 parts) was reacted with diethylenetriamine(103 parts) at an absolute pressure of 20 centimeters of mercury and atemperature of C. for 2 hours. Then the temperature of the reaction masswas raised to C. and the pressure was lowered to a value of 15millimeters absolute. The reaction mass was then cooled and diluted to aconcentration of 50% with isopropyl alcohol. This 50% solution ofmaterial was treated with a 2% solution of nitric acid until the pH ofthe solution had raised to a value of 5.73. When .125 ounces of theresulting solution were metered into 6 gallons of rinse water in therinse section of an automatic car wash, the dispersion imparted alustrous shine to an automobile surface.

EXAMPLE IV Menhaden oil (295 parts) was heated to 200 C. after whichN-aminoethylethanolamine (104 parts) was added over a 15 minute period.The resulting product was dissolved in 500 parts of dipropylene glycolmonomethyl ether and then neutralized with hydrochloric acid so that thepH of a 5% aqueous solution of this concentrate was 5.47. This materialwas then blended with equal parts by weight of 1.8 to 1 equivalent ratiocondensate of diethanolamine with coconut oil. The resulting productprovided excellent polishing characteristics when 40 ounces of the 5%aqueous solution were dispersed per gallon of wash water in a carwashing formulation.

EXAMPLE V Tall oil fatty acids (500 parts) were heated to 120 C. At thistemperature diethylenetriamine (167 parts) was added while thetemperature of the reaction mass con tinued to rise to a value of 137 C.Approximately 32 milliliters of material were removed by distillationfrom the reaction mass while the pressure in the system remained at 10centimeters of mercury. Two hours later the temperature of the reactionmass was raised to C. and an additional 50 milliliters of material wereremoved. The resulting product was then molecularly distilled at apressure of 232 microns and a temperature of 230 C. The resultingdistillate was cooled and dispersed in water at a 5% concentration andneutralized to a pH of 6.81 with dilute hydrochloric acid. When 20ounces of the 5% aqueous solution were dispersed per gallon of washwater, an excellent polish was imparted to the washed automobilesurface.

EXAMPLE VI Soybean oil 1000 parts) and N-aminoethylethanolamine (317parts) were blended together to form an emul- S1011 and this emulsionwas heated in a sealed agitated autoclave to a temperature of 427 F. fora period of 2 hours. After this period, the reaction mass was cooled andneutralized with a 10% solution of sulfamic acid. The resultant materialwas a thick pasty mass. When this product was dispersed in water (85.05grams (3 ounces) per gallon of water), it provided an excellent shine toan automobile surface when used as a post-washing, pre-rinse additive.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the invention may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore, onlythose limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. An improved method for polishing an automobile surface during anaqueous washing and rinsing operation, said method comprising:dispersing in the time water a fatty imidazoline salt, in an amount offrom about .00625 ounce to about .05 ounce per gallon of water, saidsalt having the general formula N -CH wherein R is an alkenyl groupcontaining from 11 to 23 carbon atoms, R is a lower alkyl group, and Xis an anion of a strong monoprotic acid selected from the groupconsisting of hydrochloric, hydrobromic, sulfamic, nitric, and mixturesthereof; and thereafter contacting said automobile surface with theaqueous dispersion of fatty imidazoline salt.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein R is an unsaturated hydrocarboncontaining an average of from about 0.5 to about 2.0 groups ofunsaturation per alkenyl groups.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the fatty imidazoline salt is the saltof l-(2-hydroxy ethyl)-2-heptadecenyl imidazoline.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the fatty imidazoline salt in an amountof from about 3 ounce to about ounce is dispersed in from about 5 toabout 10 gallons of rinse water.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the fatty imidazoline salt in an amountof about ounce is dispersed in from about 5 to about 10 gallons of rinsewater.

6. An improved method for polishing an automobile surface during anaqueous washing operation, said method 6 comprising: dispersing in thewash water a fatty imidazoline salt, in an amount of from about 0.5ounce to about 3.0 ounces per gallon of wash water, said salt having thegeneral formula wherein R is an alkenyl group containing from 11 to 23carbon atoms, R is a lower alkyl group, and X is an anion of a strongmonoprotic acid selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric,hydrobromic, sulfamic, nitric, and mixtures thereof; and thereaftercontacting said automobile surface with the aqueous dispersion of fattyimidazoline salt.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein R is an unsaturated hydrocarboncontaining an average of from about 0.5 to about 2.0 groups ofunsaturation per alkenyl group.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the fatty imidazoline salt is the acidsalt of 1-(2-hydroxy ethyl)-2-heptadeceny1 imidazoline.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,466,517 4/1949 Blair et al2l--2.7X 2,468,163 4/ l949 Blair et al. 212.7X 3,086,870 4/1963 Sheldahlet a1 10610 3,086,871 4/1963 Sheldahl et al. 106l0X 3,222,201 12/1965Boyle et a1 252-152X JULIUS FROME, Primary Examiner JOAN B. EVANS,Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

106l4; ll7l27; 13429; 1486.4; 252-152, 390

